GABORONE, Botswana—As part of exercise Southern Accord 2024, service members from U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) took part in a two-day Women, Peace and Security (WPS) workshop, Aug. 13-14, focused on best practices for integrating women more fully into military service.
Southern Accord is a two-week bi-lateral training exercise that strengthens security cooperation and interoperability between U.S. and Botswana forces through a series of field training events and academic exchanges held at three primary locations, Gaborone, Thebephatshwa and Shoshong.
As it relates to the military, WPS refers to the meaningful participation of women in the armed forces and the integration of a gender perspective in all aspects of military organizations, operations and functions in order to increase military readiness and operational effectiveness.
![Integrating women in the military: US, Botswana hold Women, Peace and Security exchange during Southern Accord]()
